Multi-phase permanent magnet rotor motor with independent phase coil windings

ABSTRACT

A multi-phase permanent magnet rotor motor comprises a plurality of phase coil windings with each phase coil winding having two free ends and the plurality of phase coil windings being without a common node. A controller is provided comprising a plurality of full-bridge inverters. Each full-bridge inverter has two output ends electrically connected to the two free ends of a corresponding phase coil winding. The controller is configured to operate the plurality of full-bridge inverters to output pulse modulated control signals to their respective phase coil windings. The outputted pulse modulated control signals can comprise a combination of sine wave signals and full-bridge space vector modulation signals.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 17/462,773, filed Aug. 31, 2021, entitled“Multi-Phase Permanent Magnet Rotor Motor With Independent Phase CoilWindings,” the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference hereinin its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a multi-phase permanent magnet rotor motor withindependent phase coil windings and to a closed loop method of operatingsuch a motor. The invention relates particularly, but not inclusively toa permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) with independent phase coilwindings having a sensorless closed-loop control system for synchronousoperation

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The most common types of multi-phase, e.g., three-phase, motors aresynchronous motors and induction motors. When three-phase electricconductors are placed in certain geometrical positions, which means at acertain angle from one another, an electrical field is generated. Therotating magnetic field rotates at a certain speed known as thesynchronous speed. If a permanent magnet or electromagnet is present inthis rotating magnetic field, the magnet is magnetically locked with therotating magnetic field and consequently rotates at the same speed asthe rotating field which results in a synchronous motor, as the speed ofthe rotor of the motor is the same as the speed of the rotating magneticfield.

A permanent magnet motor uses permanent magnets in the rotor to providea constant magnetic flux which has a sinusoidal back-electromotive force(emf) signal. The rotor locks in when the speed of the rotating magneticfield in the stator is at or near synchronous speed. The stator carrieswindings which are connected to a controller having a power stageincluding a voltage supply, typically an alternating current (AC)voltage supply, to produce the rotating magnetic field. Such anarrangement constitutes a PMSM.

PMSMs are similar to brushless direct current (BLDC) motors. BLDC motorscan be considered as synchronous DC motors which use a controller havinga power stage including a DC voltage supply, suitably converted, toproduce the stator rotating magnetic field. BLDC motors therefore usethe same or similar control algorithms as AC synchronous motors,especially PMSM motors.

Previously, it has been common in synchronous motor control systems touse at least one sensor, such as a Hall sensor, to detect the rotationalposition of the rotor during synchronous operation. However, sensorlessmotor control systems are now preferred.

Such sensorless motor control systems typically include a rotor positionand speed estimation module where, during synchronous operation, rotorposition and speed can be continuously estimated based on the back-emfinduced by the rotating rotor. The estimated rotor positions and speedsare utilized to update and/or compensate the motor control signalsduring synchronous operation thereby providing sensorless closed-loopsynchronous operation motor control.

Problems arise with known multi-phase permanent magnet rotor motors inmaintaining accurate control of the rotor position through the estimatedrotor positions and of efficiently achieving maximum constant torque.

Among other things, what is therefore desired is an improved method ofestimating rotor positions and/or an improved method of operating amulti-phase permanent magnet rotor motor.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to mitigate or obviate to some degree oneor more problems associated with known methods of estimating rotorpositions when operating a multi-phase permanent magnet rotor motor.

The above object is met by the combination of features of the mainclaims; the sub-claims disclose further advantageous embodiments of theinvention.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method ofoperating a multi-phase permanent magnet rotor motor.

One skilled in the art will derive from the following description otherobjects of the invention. Therefore, the foregoing statements of objectare not exhaustive and serve merely to illustrate some of the manyobjects of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a multi-phase permanent magnet rotor motorcomprising a plurality of phase coil windings with each phase coilwinding having two free ends and the plurality of phase coil windingsbeing without a common node. A controller is provided comprising aplurality of full-bridge inverters. Each full-bridge inverter has twooutput ends electrically connected to the two free ends of acorresponding phase coil winding. The controller is configured tooperate the plurality of full-bridge inverters to output pulse modulatedcontrol signals to their respective phase coil windings. The outputtedpulse modulated control signals can comprise a combination of sine wavesignals and full-bridge space vector modulation signals.

In a first main aspect, the invention provides a multi-phase permanentmagnet rotor motor comprising: a plurality of phase coil windings, eachphase coil winding having two free ends, the plurality of phase coilwindings being without a common node; and a controller comprising aplurality of full-bridge inverters, wherein each full-bridge inverterhas two output ends electrically connected to the two free ends of acorresponding phase coil winding, the controller being configured tooperate the plurality of full-bridge inverters to output pulse modulatedcontrol signals to their respective phase coil windings; wherein thecontroller is configured to output pulse modulated control signals tothe respective phase coil windings as sine waves in a first range fromzero of the magnitude of the controller bus voltage to a predetermined,selected, or calculated end value for said first range, and to outputpulse modulated control signals to the respective phase coil windings asfull-bridge space vector modulation (Fbsvm) signals in a second rangecommencing at the predetermined, selected, or calculated end value forsaid first range and ending at a predetermined, selected, or calculatedend value for said second range, said end value for said second rangecomprising a radius of a biggest internal circle inside a correspondingspace vector diagram.

In a second main aspect, the invention provides a three-phase permanentmagnet rotor motor comprising: three phase coil windings, each phasecoil winding having two free ends, the three phase coil windings beingwithout a common node; and a controller comprising a three full-bridgeinverters, wherein each full-bridge inverter has two output endselectrically connected to the two free ends of a corresponding phasecoil winding, the controller being configured to operate the threefull-bridge inverters to output pulse modulated control signals to theirrespective phase coil windings; wherein the controller is configured tooutput pulse modulated control signals to the respective phase coilwindings as sine waves in a first range from zero of the magnitude ofthe controller bus voltage to 1.5 times the magnitude of the controllerbus voltage, and to output pulse modulated control signals to therespective phase coil windings as full-bridge space vector modulation(Fbsvm) signals in a second range commencing at 1.5 times the magnitudeof the controller bus voltage and ending at 1.73 times the magnitude ofthe controller bus voltage.

In a third main aspect, the invention provides a multi-phase permanentmagnet rotor motor comprising: a plurality of phase coil windings, eachphase coil winding having two free ends, the plurality of phase coilwindings being without a common node; and a controller comprising aplurality of full-bridge inverters, wherein each full-bridge inverterhas two output ends electrically connected to the two free ends of acorresponding phase coil winding, the controller being configured tooperate the plurality of full-bridge inverters to output full-bridgespace vector modulation (Fbsvm) signals to their respective phase coilwindings; wherein each full-bridge inverter has a current sense circuitconnected to only one half of each said full-bridge inverter.

In a fourth main aspect, the invention provides a closed loop method ofdriving the multi-phase permanent magnet rotor motor of any one of thefirst to third main aspects, the method comprising the steps of:receiving at the controller a sensed current signal from at least one ofthe side-halves of said full-bridge inverters; and modifying theestimated rotor position based on said received sensed current signal.

In a fifth main aspect, the invention provides a closed loop method ofdriving the multi-phase permanent magnet rotor motor of the first mainaspect, the method comprising the steps of: outputting pulse modulatedcontrol signals to the respective phase coil windings as sine waves in afirst range from zero of the magnitude of the controller bus voltage toa predetermined, selected, or calculated end value for said first range,and outputting pulse modulated control signals to the respective phasecoil windings as full-bridge space vector modulation (Fbsvm) signals ina second range commencing at the predetermined, selected, or calculatedend value for said first range and ending at a predetermined, selected,or calculated end value for said second range, said end value for saidsecond range comprising a radius of a biggest internal circle inside acorresponding space vector diagram.

In a sixth main aspect, the invention provides a closed loop method ofdriving the three-phase permanent magnet rotor motor of the second mainaspect, the method comprising the steps of: outputting pulse modulatedcontrol signals to the respective phase coil windings as sine waves in afirst range from zero of the magnitude of the controller bus voltage to1.5 times the magnitude of the controller bus voltage, and outputtingpulse modulated control signals to the respective phase coil windings asfull-bridge space vector modulation (Fbsvm) signals in a second rangecommencing at 1.5 times the magnitude of the controller bus voltage andending at 1.73 times the magnitude of the controller bus voltage.

The summary of the invention does not necessarily disclose all thefeatures essential for defining the invention; the invention may residein a sub-combination of the disclosed features.

The forgoing has outlined fairly broadly the features of the presentinvention in order that the detailed description of the invention whichfollows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages ofthe invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject ofthe claims of the invention. It will be appreciated by those skilled inthe art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may bereadily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structuresfor carrying out the same purposes of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and further features of the present invention will beapparent from the following description of preferred embodiments whichare provided by way of example only in connection with the accompanyingfigures, of which:

FIG. 1 is a block schematic diagram of a known sensorless field-orientedcontrol (FOC) system to drive connected phase coil windings of athree-phase, three-wire permanent magnet rotor motor;

FIG. 2 is a block schematic diagram of a known sensorless FOC system todrive separated phase coil windings of a three-phase, six-wire permanentmagnet rotor motor;

FIG. 3 is a block schematic diagram of a full-bridge inverter circuitfor the known FOC system of FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 4 is a detailed schematic block diagram of the known FOC system ofFIG. 2 ;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the delta and star (or Y) phasecoil winding configurations of a three-phase, three-wire permanentmagnet rotor motor;

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of a half-bridge inverter circuitfor the FOC system for the three-phase, three-wire permanent magnetrotor motor of FIG. 5 ;

FIG. 7 is a space vector diagram for the three-phase, three-wirepermanent magnet rotor motor of FIG. 5 ;

FIG. 8 is the space vector diagram of FIG. 7 identifying the sectors;

FIG. 9 shows the SVM control waveforms for the three-phase, three-wirepermanent magnet rotor motor of FIG. 5 ;

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a six-wire configuration of phasecoil windings of a three-phase separated windings motor in which theclosed-loop operating method in accordance with the invention can beimplemented;

FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram of a full-bridge inverter circuitfor a closed-loop motor control system in accordance with the inventionfor the three-phase, six-wire separated windings motor of FIG. 10 ;

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing the delta and star (or Y) statorwindings configurations of a multi-phase separated windings motor inwhich the closed-loop operating method in accordance with the inventioncan be implemented;

FIG. 13 detailed schematic block diagram of a closed-loop motor controlsystem in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 14 is a space vector diagram for the three-phase, six-wireseparated windings motor of FIG. 10 ;

FIG. 15 shows the Fbsvm control waveforms for the three-phase, six-wireseparated windings motor of FIG. 10 when operating in the second range;

FIG. 16 is a modified space vector diagram for the three-phase, six-wireseparated windings motor of FIG. 10 ;

FIG. 17 shows the sinewave control waveforms for the three-phase,six-wire separated windings motor of FIG. 10 when operating in the firstrange;

FIG. 18 is a block schematic diagram of a modified full-bridge inverterfor the closed-loop motor control system in accordance with theinvention;

FIG. 19 shows the Fbsvm PWM control waveforms for the three-phase,six-wire separated windings motor of FIG. 10 when operating in thesecond range;

FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram showing a four-wire configuration ofphase coil windings of a multi-phase separated windings motor in whichthe closed-loop operating method in accordance with the invention can beimplemented; and

FIG. 21 is a schematic block diagram of a full-bridge inverter circuitfor the closed-loop motor control system in accordance with theinvention for the multi-phase separated windings motor of FIG. 20 .

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following description is of preferred embodiments by way of exampleonly and without limitation to the combination of features necessary forcarrying the invention into effect.

Reference in this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment”means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic describedin connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodimentof the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” invarious places in the specification are not necessarily all referring tothe same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodimentsmutually exclusive of other embodiments. Moreover, various features aredescribed which may be exhibited by some embodiments and not by others.Similarly, various requirements are described which may be requirementsfor some embodiments, but not other embodiments.

It should be understood that the elements shown in the FIGS. may beimplemented in various forms of hardware, software, or combinationsthereof. These elements may be implemented in a combination of hardwareand software on one or more appropriately programmed general-purposedevices, which may include a processor, a memory and input/outputinterfaces.

The present description illustrates the principles of the presentinvention. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the artwill be able to devise various arrangements that, although notexplicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of theinvention and are included within its spirit and scope.

Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, andembodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, areintended to encompass both structural and functional equivalentsthereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include bothcurrently known equivalents as well as equivalents developed in thefuture, i.e., any elements developed that perform the same function,regardless of structure.

Thus, for example, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the artthat the block diagrams presented herein represent conceptual views ofsystems and devices embodying the principles of the invention.

The functions of the various elements shown in the figures may beprovided through the use of dedicated hardware as well as hardwarecapable of executing software in association with appropriate software.When provided by a processor, the functions may be provided by a singlededicated processor, by a single shared processor, or by a plurality ofindividual processors, some of which may be shared. Moreover, explicituse of the term “processor” or “controller” should not be construed torefer exclusively to hardware capable of executing software, and mayimplicitly include, without limitation, digital signal processor (“DSP”)hardware, read-only memory (“ROM”) for storing software, random accessmemory (“RAM”), and non-volatile storage.

In the claims hereof, any element expressed as a means for performing aspecified function is intended to encompass any way of performing thatfunction including, for example, a) a combination of circuit elementsthat performs that function or b) software in any form, including,therefore, firmware, microcode, or the like, combined with appropriatecircuitry for executing that software to perform the function. Theinvention as defined by such claims resides in the fact that thefunctionalities provided by the various recited means are combined andbrought together in the manner which the claims call for. It is thusregarded that any means that can provide those functionalities areequivalent to those shown herein.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 comprises a schematic block diagramtaken from the publication entitled “Sensorless PMSM Field-OrientedControl”, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. FIG.1 illustrates a known sensorless field-oriented control (FOC) system todrive the connected phase coil windings of a three-phase, three-wirepermanent magnet rotor motor.

By way of contrast, FIG. 2 , taken from of the same publication,comprises a schematic block diagram illustrating the known concept ofsensorless FOC of multi-phase separated windings with full-bridgeinverters to drive the separated phase coil windings of the permanentmagnet rotor motor. In FIG. 2 , the motor comprises three phases butwith three separated, i.e., independent, phase coil windings and threefull-bridge inverters to drive the separated windings.

FIG. 3 comprises a schematic diagram from the same publication of thethree full-bridge inverters used to drive the three-phase separatedwindings. After the inverse-Clark transform (FIG. 2 ), the sinusoidalthree phase voltages are mapped into switching on times for each of thethree full-bridge inverters to give the positive and negative voltagesto drive the separated motor windings.

FIG. 4 comprises a known vector control block diagram comprising acontroller suitable for controlling the three-phase separated windingmotor associated with FIGS. 2 and 3 . This vector control block diagramis described in the publication entitled “Sensorless Field OrientedControl of PMSM Motors” authored by Jorge Zambada, published byMicrochip Technology Inc. in 2007 as paper AN1078, the content of whichis also incorporated herein by way of reference.

Vector control of a synchronous motor can be summarized as follows:

(i) The 3-phase stator currents are measured. These measurementstypically provide values for i_(a) and i_(b), i_(c) is calculatedbecause i_(a), i_(b) and is have the following relationship:

i _(a) +i _(b) +i _(c)=0.

(ii) The 3-phase currents are converted to a two-axis system. Thisconversion provides the variables i_(α) and i_(β) from the measuredi_(a) and i_(b) and the calculated i_(c) values. i_(α) and i_(β) aretime-varying quadrature current values as viewed from the perspective ofthe stator, i.e., a two-dimensional stationary orthogonal referenceframe or coordinate system.

(iii) The two-axis coordinate system is rotated to align with the rotorflux using a transformation angle calculated at the last iteration ofthe control loop. This conversion provides the I_(d) and I_(q) variablesfrom i_(a) and i_(β). I_(d) and I_(q) are the quadrature currentstransformed to the rotating coordinate system, a two-dimensionalrotating orthogonal reference frame or coordinate system. For steadystate conditions, I_(d) and I_(q) are constant.

(iv) Error signals are formed using I_(d), I_(q) and reference valuesfor each.

The I_(d) reference controls rotor magnetizing flux.

The I_(q) reference controls the torque output of the motor.

The error signals are input to PI controllers.

The output of the controllers provide V_(d) and V_(q), which is avoltage vector that will be sent to the motor.

(v) A new transformation angle is estimated where v_(a), v_(β), i_(α)and i_(β) are the inputs. The new angle guides the FOC algorithm as towhere to place the next voltage vector.

(vi) The V_(d) and V_(q) output values from the PI controllers arerotated back to the stationary reference frame using the new angle. Thiscalculation provides the next quadrature voltage values v_(a) and v_(β).

(vii) The v_(a) and v_(β) values are transformed back to 3-phase valuesv_(a), v_(b) and v_(c). The 3-phase voltage values are used to calculatenew PWM duty cycle values that generate the desired voltage vector. Theentire process of transforming, PI iteration, transforming back andgenerating PWM is schematically illustrated in FIG. 4 .

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the delta and star (or Y) phasecoil (stator) winding configurations of an embodiment of a three-phase,three-wire permanent magnet rotor motor of a type controllable by theFOC system of FIG. 1 . It will be seen that, for the star configurationof the three phase coil windings, the three phase coil windings share acommon central connection point, i.e., the phase coil windings do noteach have two free ends and are not each independent of one another.Similarly, for the delta configuration of the three phase coil windings,the adjacent pairs of the three phase coil windings are connected suchthat the adjacent pairs of windings each share a respective commonconnection point, i.e., the phase coil windings do not each have twofree ends and are not each independent of one another.

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of the bridge inverter circuit for aclosed-loop motor control system for the motor of FIG. 5 . It will beseen that the bridge inverters only comprise half-bridge inverters, notfull-bridge inverters. Whilst FIG. 6 shows three output currents denotedas “I_(A)”, “I_(B)” and “I_(C)” from the half-bridge inverters, only twooutput currents are required to be fed to the FOC system. This isbecause the phase coil windings are not independent and thus only two ofthe outputted currents are necessary to derive the third outputtedcurrent. Typically, the sensed currents “I_(A)” (“i_(a)”), “I_(B)”(“i_(b)”) are selected.

If the FOC system bus voltage magnitude is considered as having thevalue “1” for the known FOC system for the motor phase coil windingconfiguration of FIG. 5 then the three phases voltage vector comprisingVa, Vb and Vc can form a space vector within a hexagon as shown in FIG.7 with a center to corner length of √3 (1.73) and a biggest internalcircle of radius 1.5. The maximum motor torque is achieved at the sixcorners of the hexagon.

For the known FOC system of FIG. 1 for the motor phase coil windingconfiguration of FIG. 5 , the space vector modulation is calculated by:

Step I: The reference voltage in the abc coordinates is converted to thespace vector normalized to the DC voltage in the alpha-beta coordinatesand the rotation angle in the coordinates of the reference vector isdetermined;

Step II: The sector in which the reference vector is located isdetermined and it is determined how long the vectors in the switchingstates must be applied in order to form the reference voltage; and

Step III: Switching is performed according to the order in which thevectors in the switching states are applied.

In one example as described in pages 10-13 of the publication entitled“Sensorless Field Oriented Control (FOC) on XC878”, Application NoteV1.0, 2009-04 published by Infineon Technologies AG, the content ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference, the SVMs are calculated by:

Calculate V_(α,β) and determine the sector of reference vector by therotation angle.

v_(α) = v_(a)$v_{\beta} = {\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}\left( {v_{a} + {2v_{b}}} \right)}$

Determine t1 and t2 by the sector in which the reference vector islocated and calculate t_(a),t_(b),t_(c)

$t_{c} = \frac{1 - t_{1} - t_{2}}{2}$ t_(b) = t_(c) + t₁t_(a) = t_(b) + t₂

Table 1 below comprises the timing table for performing switching of thehalf-bridge inverters according to the order in which the vectors in theswitching states are applied.

TABLE 1 A B C D E F t1 va vc vc vb vb va t2 vb vb va va vc vc Svm_a tatb tc tc tb ta Svm_b tb ta ta tb tc tc Svm_c tc tc tb ta ta tb

FIG. 8 shows the reference vector sectors in the hexagon for thisexample. FIG. 9 shows the SVM control waveforms for this example.

In contrast to FIG. 5 , FIG. 10 provides a schematic diagram showing asix-wire configuration of the phase coil windings of a multi-phase motorin accordance with the invention whilst FIG. 11 provides a schematicblock diagram of a full-bridge inverter circuit for a closed-loopcontroller for said motor. The six-wire phase coil winding configurationresults from the fact that none of the three phase coil windings havingany common connection points in contrast to the conventional delta orstar stator winding configurations of FIG. 5 which have at least onecommon connection point between at least two of the phase coil windings.

FIG. 12 shows an exemplary embodiment of an improved closed-loopcontroller 100 for a multiphase separated windings motor 10 inaccordance with concepts of the present invention. The multiphaseseparated windings motor 10 has a permanent magnet rotor 12 with aplurality of permanent magnets 14 and a stator 16 with a plurality ofphase coil (stator) windings 18. Whilst the multiphase separatedwindings motor 10 is shown with the stator 16 surrounding the rotor 12in a known manner, it will be understood that the concepts of thepresent invention are equally applicable to a synchronous motor wherethe rotor surrounds the stator, i.e., the stator is arranged internallyof the rotor.

In the illustrated embodiment, the closed-loop controller 100 maycomprise a plurality of functional blocks 110 for performing variousfunctions thereof. For example, the closed-loop controller 100 maycomprise a suitably modified or suitably configured known vector-basedclosed-loop controller such as a direct torque control (DTC) closed-loopcontroller or a Field Oriented Control (FOC) closed-loop controller asdescribed, for example, in “Sensorless Field Oriented Control of PMSMMotors” of paper AN1078 and as illustrated in FIG. 13 herein butmodified as described below in accordance with the concepts of theinvention.

The closed-loop controller 100 may, for example, be implemented usinglogic circuits and/or executable code/machine readable instructionsstored in a memory for execution by a processor 120 to thereby performfunctions as described herein. For example, the executable code/machinereadable instructions may be stored in one or more memories 130 (e.g.,random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), flash memory,magnetic memory, optical memory, or the like) suitable for storing oneor more instruction sets (e.g., application software, firmware,operating system, applets, and/or the like), data (e.g., configurationparameters, operating parameters and/or thresholds, collected data,processed data, and/or the like), etc. The one or more memories 130 maycomprise processor-readable memories for use with respect to one or moreprocessors 120 operable to execute code segments of the closed-loopcontroller 100 and/or utilize data provided thereby to perform functionsof the closed-loop controller 100 as described herein. Additionally, oralternatively, the closed-loop controller 100 may comprise one or morespecial purpose processors (e.g., application specific integratedcircuit (ASIC), field programmable gate array (FPGA), graphicsprocessing unit (GPU), and/or the like configured to perform functionsof the closed-loop controller 100 as described herein.

In a broad aspect, the invention comprises using the closed-loopcontroller 100 of FIGS. 12 and 13 , e.g., using the modified FOCcontroller 200 of FIG. 13 , to implement the closed-loop operatingprocedure in accordance with the invention. The closed-loop controller100 may comprise any known, suitable closed-loop controller forsynchronous operation and may comprise the FOC controller 200 asdescribed in “Sensorless Field Oriented Control of PMSM Motors” of paperAN1078 or as described in the publication entitled “Sensorless PMSMField-Oriented Control”, the FOC controller 200 being suitably modifiedor reconfigured to implement the closed-loop operating method of theinvention. Two or more of the outputs of the 3-phase bridge module 160of the closed-loop controller 100/200 of FIG. 13 comprising two or moreof the sensed currents denoted as “I_(A)”, “I_(B)” and “I_(C)” in FIG.11 are fed to the Clarke Transform module 170 of the closed-loopcontroller 100/200 for processing.

The modified or reconfigured closed-loop controller 100/200 of FIGS. 12and 13 is arranged to operate the synchronous motor 10 having apermanent magnet rotor 12 and stator windings 18 by energizing thestator windings 18 using pulse width modulated (PWM) motor controlsignals.

Taking the six-wire, three phase motor winding configuration of FIG. 10controlled by the modified FOC controller 200 of FIG. 13 , it will beseen that, if the modified FOC system bus voltage magnitude isconsidered as having the value “1”, then the three phases voltage vectorcomprising Va, Vb and Vc forms a space vector within a hexagon as shownin FIG. 14 with a center to corner length of 2 and a biggest internalcircle of radius √3 (1.73). The maximum motor torque is achieved at thesix corners of the hexagon, but the maximum constant torque at all rotorangles is achieved by the biggest internal circle inside the hexagon.Comparing the hexagon of FIG. 14 with the hexagon of FIG. 7 indicatesthat closed loop control of a three-phase motor having the separatedwinding configuration of FIG. 10 can provide 15% more constant torqueover the known motor winding configuration of FIG. 5 .

For the three-phase, 6-wire motor configuration of FIG. 10 , it ispossible to obtain maximum constant torque by applying a voltage controlspace vector waveform derived from a full-bridge SVM (Fbsvm) calculatedfrom SVM by:

Fbsvm(t)=2SVM(t)−1.

As can be seen from FIG. 9 , the SVM waveform for a known three-phase,three-wire motor winding configuration ranges between zero and 1 withrespect to the magnitude of the controller bus voltage. In contrast, asshown in FIG. 15 , the SVM waveform for the three-phase, six-wire motorwinding configuration of FIG. 10 ranges between −1 and 1 with respect tothe magnitude of the controller bus voltage.

However, referring to FIG. 16 which provides a modified space vectorhexagon for the three-phase, six-wire motor winding configuration ofFIG. 10 , it has been recognized that, as Fbsvm is only good forproviding extra torque in the range above 1.5, it is possible to applysine waveform control signals to a first range starting at zero andreaching 1.5 and apply Fbsvm to only a second range above 1.5 up to themaximum 1.73 in this example. For other multi-phase separated windingconfigurations, different first and second range values may apply.Consequently, the sine waveform signals of FIG. 17 are applied to thefirst range and the Fbsvm waveform signals of FIG. 15 are applied to thesecond range to control the pulse modulated signals to the separatedphase coil windings during motor operation.

For the control of the motor in the second range, the method can beimplemented by taking Table 1 above and applying the equation“Fbsvm(t)=2SVM(t)−1” to the table entries.

The invention therefore provides in one aspect, a multi-phase permanentmagnet rotor motor comprising: a plurality of phase coil windings, eachphase coil winding having two free ends, the plurality of phase coilwindings being without a common node; and a controller comprising aplurality of full-bridge inverters, wherein each full-bridge inverterhas two output ends electrically connected to the two free ends of acorresponding phase coil winding, the controller being configured tooperate the plurality of full-bridge inverters to output pulse modulatedcontrol signals to their respective phase coil windings; wherein thecontroller is configured to output pulse modulated control signals tothe respective phase coil windings as sine waves in a first range fromzero of the magnitude of the controller bus voltage to a predetermined,selected, or calculated end value for said first range, and to outputpulse modulated control signals to the respective phase coil windings asfull-bridge space vector modulation signals (Fbsvm) in a second rangecommencing at the predetermined, selected, or calculated end value forsaid first range and ending at a predetermined, selected, or calculatedend value for said second range.

Preferably, the predetermined, selected, or calculated end value forsaid second range comprises a radius of a biggest internal circle insidea corresponding space vector diagram.

Preferably also, the controller is a digital controller which preferablycomprises a full-bridge space vector modulation controller.

The plurality of phase coil windings may be arranged in parallel withouta common connection point.

The invention also provides a closed loop method of driving themulti-phase permanent magnet rotor motor, the method comprising the stepof: outputting pulse modulated control signals to the respective phasecoil windings as sine waves in a first range from zero of the magnitudeof the controller bus voltage to a predetermined, selected, orcalculated end value for said first range, and to output pulse modulatedcontrol signals to the respective phase coil windings as full-bridgespace vector modulation signals (Fbsvm) in a second range commencing atthe predetermined, selected, or calculated end value for said firstrange and ending at a predetermined, selected, or calculated end valuefor said second range.

FIG. 18 comprises a schematic diagram of one of the full-bridge circuitsfor the modified closed-loop motor controller 100/200 for thethree-phase separated windings motor in accordance with the invention.The full-bridge comprises first and second half-bridges denoted as “A”and “B” respectively. For the first range from zero to 1.5 of the spacevector diagram of FIG. 16 , the sine waveforms of Table 2 below areapplied to the half-bridges 1, B.

TABLE 2 Half Bridge Sine Waveform A T(1 + v cos(wt))/2 B T(1 − vcos(wt))/2 A − B T v cos(wt)

where T is the PWM sampling period, v is the normalized voltage in therange of 0 to 1, w is the angular velocity and t is the time for thesampling period. This provides better efficiency compared with a pureSVM method as the SVM method has high total harmonic distortion (THD).

In the range of 1.5 to 1.73 of the space vector diagram of FIG. 16 ,Fbsvm waveforms as shown in Table 3 are applied to the half-bridges Aand B respectively.

TABLE 3 Half Bridge Sine Waveform A T(1 + fbsvm(t))/2 B T(1 −fbsvm(t))/2 A − B T fbsvm(t)

This provides extra torque compared with the known three-phase,three-wire motor phase coil winding configuration.

The Fbsvm PWM waveforms applied during the second range are shown inFIG. 19 .

In the modified closed-loop motor controller 100/200 of the invention,one half-bridge only of each full-bridge is provided with a currentsensing circuit 180. As shown in FIG. 13 , preferably each such currentsensing circuit is connected, as denoted by line 190, to the positionand speed estimation module 140/150 whereby the sensed current signalscan be employed to improve or correct the rotor position estimationsduring normal motor operation.

In providing a current sensing circuit 180 in only one half-bridge ofeach full-bridge circuit means that current sensing is only detected inone of the four states as shown in Table 4:

TABLE 4 State GAP GAN GBP GBN A B V_(AB) Remark 1 high low low high highlow positive 2 high low high low high high zero 3 low high high low lowhigh negative 4 low high low high low low zero Current Sensing

It has been found, however, that sensing current in only one of the fourstates is sufficient to provide a modified means of enhancing orcorrecting rotor position estimates.

The invention therefore provides a multi-phase permanent magnet rotormotor comprising: a plurality of phase coil windings, each phase coilwinding having two free ends, the plurality of phase coil windings beingwithout a common node; and a controller comprising a plurality offull-bridge inverters, wherein each full-bridge inverter has two outputends electrically connected to the two free ends of a correspondingphase coil winding, the controller being configured to operate theplurality of full-bridge inverters to output pulse modulated controlsignals to their respective phase coil windings; wherein eachfull-bridge inverter has a current sense circuit connected to only onehalf of each said full-bridge inverter.

Preferably, each of the current sense circuits is connected to a samerespective half-side of their said full-bridge inverter.

Preferably, the controller is configured to operate the plurality offull-bridge inverters to output pulse modulated control signals havingidentical frequency and amplitude to their respective phase coilwindings.

Preferably, the controller is configured operate the plurality offull-bridge inverters to output pulse modulated control signals suchthat the pulse modulated control signals of two adjacent phase coilwindings have a non-zero phase difference.

The invention also provides a closed loop method of driving themulti-phase permanent magnet rotor moto, the method comprising the stepsof: receiving at the rotor position estimation module of the controllera sensed current signal from at least one of the side-halves of saidfull-bridge inverters; and modifying the estimated rotor position basedon said received sensed current signal.

FIG. 20 provides a schematic diagram showing a four-wire configurationof 2-phase stator coil windings of the synchronous motor in which theclosed-loop operating method in accordance with the invention can beimplemented. FIG. 21 provides a schematic block diagram of a full-bridgeinverter circuit power stage for the closed-loop motor controller100/200 in which the sensed currents “I_(A)”, “I_(B)” are fed into theClarke Transform module.

Preferably, the plurality of phase coil windings for embodiments of theinvention comprise at least two phase coil windings, or three phase coilwindings, or phase coil windings in a number being a multiple of two orthree.

The present invention also provides a non-transitory computer-readablemedium storing machine-readable instructions, wherein, when themachine-readable instructions are executed by the processor of theclosed-loop controller for the synchronous motor, they configure theprocessor to implement the concepts of the present invention.

The apparatus described above may be implemented at least in part insoftware. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the apparatusdescribed above may be implemented at least in part using generalpurpose computer equipment or using bespoke equipment.

Here, aspects of the methods and apparatuses described herein can beexecuted on any apparatus comprising the communication system. Programaspects of the technology can be thought of as “products” or “articlesof manufacture” typically in the form of executable code and/orassociated data that is carried on or embodied in a type ofmachine-readable medium. “Storage” type media include any or all of thememory of the mobile stations, computers, processors or the like, orassociated modules thereof, such as various semiconductor memories, tapedrives, disk drives, and the like, which may provide storage at any timefor the software programming. All or portions of the software may attimes be communicated through the Internet or various othertelecommunications networks. Such communications, for example, mayenable loading of the software from one computer or processor intoanother computer or processor. Thus, another type of media that may bearthe software elements includes optical, electrical, and electromagneticwaves, such as used across physical interfaces between local devices,through wired and optical landline networks and over various air-links.The physical elements that carry such waves, such as wired or wirelesslinks, optical links, or the like, also may be considered as mediabearing the software. As used herein, unless restricted to tangiblenon-transitory “storage” media, terms such as computer or machine“readable medium” refer to any medium that participates in providinginstructions to a processor for execution.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in thedrawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered asillustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood thatonly exemplary embodiments have been shown and described and do notlimit the scope of the invention in any manner. It can be appreciatedthat any of the features described herein may be used with anyembodiment. The illustrative embodiments are not exclusive of each otheror of other embodiments not recited herein. Accordingly, the inventionalso provides embodiments that comprise combinations of one or more ofthe illustrative embodiments described above. Modifications andvariations of the invention as herein set forth can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope thereof, and, therefore, only suchlimitations should be imposed as are indicated by the appended claims.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of theinvention, except where the context requires otherwise due to expresslanguage or necessary implication, the word “comprise” or variationssuch as “comprises” or “comprising” is used in an inclusive sense, i.e.,to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude thepresence or addition of further features in various embodiments of theinvention.

It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is referred toherein, such reference does not constitute an admission that thepublication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art.

1. A multi-phase rotor motor comprising: a plurality of phase coil windings, each phase coil winding having two free ends; and a controller comprising a plurality of full-bridge inverters, wherein each full-bridge inverter has two output ends electrically connected to the two free ends of a corresponding phase coil winding, the controller being configured to operate the plurality of full-bridge inverters to output pulse modulated control signals to the respective phase coil windings; wherein the controller is configured to output the pulse modulated control signals to the respective phase coil windings as sine waves in a first range from zero of a magnitude of a controller bus voltage of the controller to a first predetermined end value for the first range, and to output the pulse modulated control signals to the respective phase coil windings as full-bridge space vector modulation (Fbsvm) signals in a second range commencing at the predetermined first end value for the first range and ending at a second predetermined end value for the second range, the second predetermined end value for the second range comprising a radius of a largest internal circle inside a space vector diagram of the multi-phase rotor motor.
 2. The multi-phase rotor motor of claim 1, wherein the multi-phase rotor motor is a three phase, 6 wire motor, the first range is from zero to 1.5 times the magnitude of the controller bus voltage and the second range is from 1.5 to 1.73 times the magnitude of the controller bus voltage.
 3. The multi-phase rotor motor of claim 1, wherein the Fbsvm signals are determined from half-bridge space vector modulation (SVM) signals according to: Fbsvm(t)=2SVM(t)−1.
 4. The multi-phase rotor motor of claim 1, wherein the phase coil windings are independent windings and the controller is a digital controller.
 5. The multi-phase rotor motor of claim 4, wherein the digital controller is a full-bridge space vector modulation controller.
 6. The multi-phase rotor motor of claim 1, wherein the plurality of phase coil windings comprise at least one of: two-phase coil windings, three-phase coil windings, or phase coil windings in a number being a multiple of two or three.
 7. The multi-phase rotor motor of claim 1, wherein the phase coil windings are arranged in parallel without a common connection point.
 8. A three-phase rotor motor comprising: three phase coil windings, each phase coil winding having two free ends, the three phase coil windings being without a common node; and a controller comprising a three full-bridge inverters, wherein each full-bridge inverter has two output ends electrically connected to the two free ends of a corresponding phase coil winding, the controller being configured to operate the three full-bridge inverters to output pulse modulated control signals to their respective phase coil windings; wherein the controller is configured to output pulse modulated control signals to the respective phase coil windings as sine waves in a first range from zero of the magnitude of the controller bus voltage to 1.5 times the magnitude of the controller bus voltage, and to output pulse modulated control signals to the respective phase coil windings as full-bridge space vector modulation (Fbsvm) signals in a second range commencing at 1.5 times the magnitude of the controller bus voltage and ending at 1.73 times the magnitude of the controller bus voltage.
 9. The three-phase rotor motor of claim 8, wherein the Fbsvm signals are determined from half-bridge space vector modulation (SVM) signals according to: Fbsvm(t)=2SVM(t)−1.
 10. The three-phase rotor motor of claim 8, wherein the phase coil windings comprise independent windings and the controller is a digital controller.
 11. The three-phase rotor motor of claim 8, wherein the digital controller comprises a full-bridge space vector modulation controller.
 12. The three-phase rotor motor of claim 8, wherein the three phase coil windings are arranged in parallel without a common connection point.
 13. A multi-phase rotor motor comprising: a plurality of phase coil windings; and a controller comprising a plurality of full-bridge inverters, wherein each full-bridge inverter has two output ends electrically connected to the two free ends of a corresponding phase coil winding, the controller being configured to operate the plurality of full-bridge inverters to output full-bridge space vector modulation (Fbsvm) signals to the respective phase coil windings; wherein each full-bridge inverter has a current sense circuit connected to only one half of the full-bridge inverter.
 14. The multi-phase rotor motor of claim 13, wherein the Fbsvm signals are determined from half-bridge space vector modulation (SVM) signals according to: Fbsvm(t)=2SVM(t)−1.
 15. The multi-phase rotor motor of claim 13, wherein each of the current sense circuits is connected to a rotor position estimation module of the controller.
 16. The multi-phase rotor motor of claim 13, wherein each of the current sense circuits is connected to a same half-side of the respective full-bridge inverter.
 17. The multi-phase rotor motor of claim 13, wherein the phase coil windings comprise independent windings and the controller is a digital controller.
 18. The multi-phase rotor motor of claim 17, wherein the digital controller is a full-bridge space vector modulation controller.
 19. The multi-phase rotor motor of claim 13, wherein the plurality of phase coil windings comprise at least one of: two-phase coil windings, three-phase coil windings, or phase coil windings in a number being a multiple of two or three.
 20. The multi-phase rotor motor of claim 13, wherein the phase coil windings are arranged in parallel without a common connection point. 